Partnering with a digital marketing agency like Onya is an exciting step towards boosting your online presence and achieving your organizational goals. But what happens after you’ve signed on the dotted line? Let’s dive into the onboarding process and explore what you can expect as you embark on this new partnership.

The Kickoff Call: Aligning Vision and Goals

The journey begins with a crucial (and fun!) kickoff call. This initial meeting sets the tone for your entire relationship with the agency. Here’s what typically happens during this call:

➡️ Introductions: You’ll meet the team members who will be working on your account. This is your chance to put faces to names and start building rapport.

➡️ Goal Setting: The agency will work with you to define clear, measurable objectives for your digital marketing initiatives. Whether it’s increasing website traffic, boosting social media engagement, or driving more conversions, setting specific goals helps focus efforts and measure success.

➡️ Strategy Overview: The chosen agency will present a high-level strategy tailored to your organization, explaining how they plan to achieve your goals across various digital channels.

➡️ Timeline Discussion: You’ll review project timelines and key milestones, ensuring everyone is on the same page regarding deadlines and deliverables.

➡️ Communication Protocols: Establish how and when you’ll communicate with the agency. Will you have weekly check-ins? Monthly reports? Who are the primary points of contact on both sides?

➡️ Q&A Session: This is your opportunity to ask any questions or voice any concerns you may have about the upcoming process.

Sharing Assets: Equipping Your Agency for Success

Following the kickoff call, you’ll need to provide your agency with essential assets to ensure they can effectively represent your brand. Don’t worry – you’re not handing over your life’s work. Just the key tokens to get the agency up and running. This typically includes:

➡️ Brand Guidelines: A comprehensive document outlining your brand’s visual identity, voice, and values.

➡️ Visual Assets: High-quality logos in various formats, official brand colors (with hex codes), and any other visual elements that define your brand.

➡️Fonts: The specific typefaces used in your branding, along with any licensing information if required.

➡️Messaging: Key marketing messages, taglines, and any specific language or terminology unique to your brand or industry.

➡️ Previous Campaign Materials: Examples of past marketing efforts can help the agency understand what has (and hasn’t) worked for you in the past.

➡️ Target Audience Information: Any existing customer personas or demographic data you have about your ideal customers.

➡️ Competitors: A list of your main competitors can help the agency position your brand effectively in the market.

Setting Up Access: Empowering Your Agency to Take Action

Depending on the services you’ve contracted, your agency will need access to various platforms and accounts:

➡️ For Paid Advertising Clients:

✅ Ad Accounts: If you have existing accounts on platforms like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, or LinkedIn Ads, you’ll need to grant appropriate access to your agency team.

✅ New Account Creation: If you’re new to paid advertising, your agency will guide you through the process of setting up new ad accounts on relevant platforms.

✅ Billing Information: You’ll need to provide payment details for ad spend, either directly on the platforms or through the agency, depending on your agreement.

➡️ For Organic Social Media Clients:

✅Social Media Accounts: Grant access to your profiles on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, or any other relevant social networks.

✅ Content Approval Process: Establish a workflow for reviewing and approving content before it’s published on your behalf.

✅Existing Content: Share any content calendars or banks of pre-approved content you may have.

➡️ For All Clients:

✅ Website Access: Depending on the scope of work, your agency may need access to your website’s backend, Google Analytics, and other tracking tools.

✅CRM Integration: If applicable, set up connections between your customer relationship management system and your marketing platforms for better data tracking and personalization.

Beginning Production: Bringing Your Vision to Life

With all the groundwork laid, your agency can now start working on the first of many projects! This usually involves:

➡️ Content Creation: Developing blog posts, social media content, ad copy, or other marketing materials aligned with your brand voice and strategy.

➡️ Campaign Setup: For paid advertising clients, this involves creating your first ad campaigns, including audience targeting, ad creatives, and landing pages.

➡️ Social Media Planning: For organic social clients, the agency will start crafting a content calendar and preparing posts for your approval.

➡️ Website Optimizations: If part of your package, the agency may begin making SEO improvements or user experience enhancements to your website.

➡️ Reporting Setup: Establishing baseline metrics and setting up custom reports to track your progress towards defined goals.

Throughout this initial production phase, expect frequent communication with your agency team. They may have additional questions or need clarification on certain aspects of your brand or offerings. This collaborative approach ensures that the final product aligns perfectly with your vision and goals.

The Road Ahead: Continuous Improvement and Adaptation

As you move beyond the onboarding phase, your relationship with your digital marketing agency will continue to evolve. Regular check-ins, performance reviews, and strategy sessions will help refine your approach, maximize results, and really build a fantastic working relationship!

Remember, successful digital marketing is an ongoing process of testing, learning, and optimizing. Come prepared to provide feedback, be open to new ideas, and work closely to navigate the twists and turns that may come. 

The onboarding process with a new digital marketing agency is an exciting time filled with SO much potential. By understanding what to expect and actively participating in the process, you set the stage for a successful partnership. From the initial kickoff call to the launch of your first campaign, each step is designed to align the agency’s expertise with your unique brand and goals. With the right foundation in place, you’re well on your way to go way above and beyond where you ever thought your organization could go! Reach out to Onya today to learn more about how you can get this process started!